


Rotten Work

by WindChimePheonix



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: A lot of feels, Andrew Minyard deserves love and support, Andrew has a bad day, Hot Chocolate, M/M, Neil always knows what to do, Neil is a good boyfriend, Self-Hatred, references to therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-11 11:24:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20545358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WindChimePheonix/pseuds/WindChimePheonix
Summary: Andrew has a bad day, Neil takes care of him.





	Rotten Work

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this line of dialogue I saw in a text post:
> 
> PYLADES I’ll take care of you.
> 
> ORESTES It’s rotten work.
> 
> PYLADES Not to me. Not if it’s you.
> 
> I just thought it was so sweet and sooooo Andreil and got inspired!

Neil made no sense. Andrew had known this, of course. How else could the junkie have wormed his way into the empty cavern of Andrew’s chest? When Andrew felt like he was flying apart, when his life played on a loop through his perfect memory, when nightmares destroyed his sleep, Neil was there. Why? Andrew knew that people take and take and take, but Neil never took what Andrew wasn’t willing to give. It hadn’t made sense then and it didn’t make sense now.

“Andrew,” Neil murmured, pulling Andrew out of his thoughts. Andrew turned his gaze from the wall to Neil, who was standing close, carefully not touching Andrew. His expression was open. 

Andrew hated him.

Neil hadn’t moved from his spot, and it occurred to Andrew that he himself hadn’t moved since dropping himself onto the beanbag. That had been hours ago. It also occurred to Andrew that Neil must be worried. About him. Andrew hadn't asked him to be.

“Andrew. Can I touch you?” Neil said, his voice still soft. Andrew looked up at him, keeping his face impassive even as his chest ached.

“No.” He said, shortly.

Neil immediately took two small steps back. 

Andrew hated him. 

He wanted Neil back. Where he was close, and Andrew could feel the heat of his body. But his chest tightened, and his skin prickled. 

“What do you need?” Came Neil’s voice again. Always talking to him. Why? What had Andrew done that made Neil want to come back, again and again? It didn’t make sense. Neil doesn’t make sense. 

“Nothing,” was what came out of his mouth, but his arm rose and grabbed hold of the sleeve of Neil’s hoodie. The hoodie was horribly bright and orange, and Andrew let it fill his gaze, steadily avoiding looking at Neil’s face. 

“Do you want to call Bee?” Neil asked.

Andrew thought about it. “Later.”

“Ok. Have you eaten anything?” There it was again. Caring. It felt strange rubbing against Andrew’s sharp edges. Even though he knew Neil’s edges were just as sharp, even as he felt how they fit together in the good moments. How could those moments be enough for Neil?

It had been over a year since ice cream and kisses on the floor. They had touched often and he knew how touch starved Neil was. It wasn’t enough. Andrew wasn’t enough. Why couldn’t Neil see it? 

“Andrew, I’m going to get you something.” Came Neil’s voice again, through the fog of Andrew’s thoughts. He gently pulled his sleeve from Andrew’s grip. Andrew hadn’t realized he had still been holding it.

Andrew gripped the ends of his armbands. He used the touch to ground himself in the moment, Bee’s voice filling his head. “One thing you can touch, two you can see, three you can hear. Andrew, you are safe.”

Armbands.

Safe. 

Gray wall, ugly carpet.

He was safe.

His own breathing, the beeping of the microwave, the whirring of the air conditioner.

Drake was dead. There was no one here who would hurt him, or his brother, or his cousin, or Kevin. Or Neil. They were safe.

So why did he feel like this? 

Andrew heard light footsteps. Neil was back. He was holding a mug that said ‘I’m Exy and I know it’ with a picture of Kevin’s face on it. Nicky had seen it at a store and laughed for almost half an hour, buying it immediately. 

It was a ridiculous mug. Andrew scowled at it. He then looked up and turned the scowl on Neil, who only grinned back.

“Junkie.” Andrew hissed, reaching out for the ridiculous mug, which was filled with hot chocolate. He took a sip, glaring at the soft look in Neil’s eyes. 

Andrew hated him.

“I also ordered Chinese. It’ll be here soon.” Neil said, sitting on the beanbag chair on Andrew’s right. Andrew followed Neil with his eyes, noting the careful distance he kept between their shoulders and knees.

Andrew hated him.

“Why.” Andrew bit out, his voice flat. Why the hot chocolate? Why the careful distance? Why the food? Why stay? 

“Because I want to take care of you,” Neil answered calmly, his gaze steady even as Andrew looked away. 

Andrew sipped his hot chocolate and stared at the wall in silence for a long time. He put the ridiculous mug onto the ground. 

He turned back to look at Neil, who was watching him.

“It’s rotten work.” 

“Not to me. Not if it’s you.”

Something deep inside Andrew, something he believed to have been ravaged beyond recognition, curled tentatively. 

Neil was part of him now. 

And Andrew didn’t hate him.

Andrew met Neil’s gaze, trying to control his expression. Neil’s eyes burned the cold blue of certainty. 

“Yes.” Andrew murmured. 

Neil’s intense expression didn’t fade. Andrew leaned forward slowly, placing his right hand over Neil’s wrist. He stopped a breath away and tightened his hold on Neil’s wrist. 

“Yes, Andrew. Yes.” Neil breathed. 

Andrew closed the gap and pressed his lips to Neil’s. Softly. Neil didn’t move, only kissed Andrew back just as softly. 

Andrew pulled away and opened his eyes, looking down at his hand over Neil’s wrist. He could feel Neil’s breath, slow and deliberate, against his cheek. He gently turned Neil’s hand over and pressed their palms together. 

Andrew looked up into Neil’s eyes, so close to his own, and saw Neil’s ‘yes’ shining through. Without looking away, Andrew carefully tangled their fingers together. They fit perfectly, just as Andrew knew they would.

“Thank you,” Andrew said. His voice was steady. 

“Anytime,” Neil said, seriously. Andrew heard the unspoken ‘always.’ He tightened his grip on Neil’s hand. Neil squeezed back.

Maybe Andrew wasn’t enough for the rest of the world, but he is enough for Neil.

**Author's Note:**

> Aaaaaaand that's it! Let me know what you thought :)


End file.
